29 May 2009
Every so often. . .
. . . I need a reminder of what I already know.

As some of you may or may not know, I got to write "The End" on the rough draft of my newest WIP not too long ago. But because I'm a member of the "shitty first draft" club, that doesn't mean I'm done. Not by a long shot.

Even though it was rough, I booted it off to my crit partners (who I <3 with enormity) and they filled my head with all sorts of nooks and crannies to flesh out.

And yet I've still been picking at it. Focusing on teeny things rather than the big picture issues I need to address. Mostly, I couldn't get past the rewrite I needed to do of the opening scene. There's stuff I didn't "discover" about the hero until mid-way through the book, and I need to layer that in too. But it wasn't moving. I'd write four words, then delete three of 'em. Couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Then I saw this post on Kristin Nelson's blog this morning.

She been at BEA and participated in a Pitch Slam. About the entries, she says, "most opening scenes had nothing at stake."

Well, shit. That's what's wrong.

Now, see, I know that. I know you have to start when everything changes, when there's important stuff going on. But somehow I accidentally wrote my opening as a "look, we're in the Old West" scene. Crappity. Oh delete, how I loathe and love thee.

Hopefully I can get to the editing with a quickness now.


3 Comments:

Blogger Nina Pierce said...

Wow. Just what I needed. *smacks forehead* And like you said, it's not like I didn't already know this.

Blogger Kate Diamond said...

Good luck with your revisions! I, too, have been nitpicking at my first scene. You've inspired me to get my butt in gear.

Blogger Patti Ann Colt said...

Those AHA moments - they are the shitz, aren't they? You've got your starting spot, now it'll be easy to get busy. You can always holler when you get stuck. Hugs!

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